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Andrea Rugg / Andrea Rugg Photography
Building Hoeg H'Arbor
Positioned atop a heavily wooded hill, the Hoeg home takes advantage of large banks of windows, these revealing the interior great room as seen from beside the covered patio and the woods adjacent to the city park. Cross-country ski trails start near the home.
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Andrea Rugg / Andrea Rugg Photography
Building Hoeg H'Arbor
"Sometimes it feels like living in a tree house," the author says of her wooded views outside the home's great room. Accents of fir wood also create the warm feeling.
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Andrea Rugg / Andrea Rugg Photography
Building Hoeg H'Arbor
The modest size of the home fits with the hilltop space that was available on the property, but the large banks of windows makes the interior space seem much larger. A covered patio extends from the great room to the back of the house.
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Andrea Rugg / Andrea Rugg Photography
Building Hoeg H'Arbor
The kitchen area opens onto the great room and an island adds dining space.
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Andrea Rugg / Andrea Rugg Photography
Building Hoeg H'Arbor
Facing the kitchen on the split level is Molly’s “Command Center” office.
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Andrea Rugg / Andrea Rugg Photography
Building Hoeg H'Arbor
The Hoegs chose the half-acre property in part because of its proximity to cross-country ski trails.
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Courtesy Molly Hoeg
Building Hoeg H'Arbor
The Lester/Amity trails start right outside the door for Richard...
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Courtesy Molly Hoeg
Building Hoeg H'Arbor
... and Molly Hoeg.
It wasn’t until about the third time that my husband, Rich, ran past the For Sale sign that it registered. Until that moment, our casual talk about returning to Duluth to retire was pure speculation. But treading the wooded lot, with its immediate proximity to cross-country ski trails, the waterfalls on Amity Creek and access to Minnesota’s North Shore, our dream took on a sense of reality.
Like many who grow up in Duluth, we had often dreamed of living right on the Lake Superior shore. But this forested location so perfectly suited our active outdoor lifestyle that we realized for us – as avid cross-country skiers and long-distance cyclists and runners – this was something even better that our original dream. “Arbor” became more desirable than “harbor.”
We didn’t hesitate a moment, and before we’d even closed on the land, we were calling it “our house in the woods.”
When we began to plan for our house on a steep lot with a little more than a half-acre of woods, we wanted to preserve as many of the trees as possible, while making natural views a prominent feature in our home.
We envisioned a custom, modern house of a moderate size, and quickly found that our ideas resonated with Cheryl Fosdick of CF Design in Duluth.
“We want a lot of windows and wood,” we told Cheryl. She delivered.
Being a “retirement” home, our goal was to keep the structure simple and to less than 2,000 square feet. We wanted a unique great room that would be comfortable for us yet able to accommodate visits by family and friends. We were content to make the most investment in this centerpiece of our home, its core living space. For us, the bedrooms were secondary.
Nestling the house into the hilltop landscape, Cheryl developed a floor plan that placed the great room out front to provide views from massive windows on three sides. The master bedroom is situated slightly above that space and the guest bedrooms a few steps below, cantilevered out over the steepest slope of the hill. The result is a low profile that blends beautifully into the wooded lot.
We’d never taken on building a house before, but it was a delight to work with Bill Ericson of Ericson Builders. We appreciated that Bill builds only one home at a time, so we always had 100 percent of his attention. On our weekend visits from the Twin Cities, Bill always had time to show us the latest progress. He even teased us, in good humor, about leaving evidence of a mid-winter picnic in the recently enclosed house. (He knew how excited we were to make it our home.)
The home features natural fir throughout for the woodwork and cabinetry. Its warm glow frames the wooded views outside, which serve as our primary, seasonally changing “artwork.” Winter evenings frequently find us gazing outside, watching snowflakes fall in the spotlights outside the windows.
The great room features a flat 11-foot-high ceiling of pine. Brushed with pickling paint, it has a whitish cast that reflects light but allows the natural grain of the wood to show through. A heavy wooden beam denotes the edge of the dining area, where the ceiling takes on a slight slope. While the table is normally sized for six, the space allows expanding it to fit 14 guests – perfect for family gatherings.
We also got many of the amazing attributes we’d hoped for in the home.
We considered a window seat and gas fireplace essential elements in the living area, and the window seat is indeed a favorite reading spot. It also overlooks the birdfeeders – preferred dining for birds, squirrels and deer. The fireplace provides instant heat and ambiance and supplements the slower-moving radiant floor-heating system when a quick warm-up is needed.
Since the kitchen always attracts guests, I insisted that it be integrally connected to the living area. The oversized center island provides storage and an informal eating area and has proven to be a magnet for guests. It’s a perfect gathering place to eat, drink, visit and play games. The arrangement allows me to stay involved in conversations, even while preparing meals.
Because the kitchen has only one full wall – which naturally contains yet another large window – our storage space is concentrated in the cabinetry below the granite countertops and in a large walk-in pantry. We prize the deep drawers and cupboards with pullouts for easy access. A large cabinet adjacent to the dining area provides not only ample storage for dishes, but hides the stereo system inside.
Wanting to take my morning coffee outside was the inspiration for the front deck adjacent to the kitchen. With its southern exposure and shelter from the wind, it has become our favored outdoor-sitting area. Even on 45-degree days, the deck warms enough for us to sit outside in the sunshine.
We both retired from technology positions – Rich after 28 years as a senior technologist at Honeywell and I after four years as director of information technology at the law firm of Gray Plant Mooty and before that for 23 years doing IT at the Star Tribune. So we needed separate workspaces for our computers as part of our plans. My office area is hidden behind the low kitchen wall, and looks out over the entire great room and its outdoor views. Dubbed “Mom’s Command Center,” it allows me to stay connected online while tuning into everything going on in the house. Rich’s desk shares space with the only TV in the house and a hide-a-bed, making economical use of one of the two extra bedrooms.
Thinking ahead to the hours we’d spend on the ski trails across the street, we carved out space in the maintenance room for a waxing area and storage for our skis and boots.
It doesn’t take long to describe our dream home … or to show all of its few nooks and crannies to guests. But each time we enter the house, it still feels special. The forest views continue to captivate us and the ambiance exudes relaxation and well-being.
We love being on the edge of Duluth. The neighborhoods and shopping amenities of Lakeside are within easy reach, yet we face Lester Park and can hear water rushing over the falls from our bedroom at night.
The location definitely has lived up to its potential. Rarely a day goes by that we don’t walk out the door to ski the trails, cycle the shore, run the Lakewalk or hike along the creek.
We’ve named it Hoeg H’Arbor, for the Lake and the trees. It sure feels good to be home.
Since her retirement from her tech job, Molly Hoeg has become a regular contributor to this magazine, writing health, home and recreation stories. We’re glad she retired.